Listening Practice Question#1

September 8, 2024

Linguistics, Psychology, Developmental Psychology, Education, Cognitive Science

Table of Contents

Questions

Topic: Theories of Language Acquisition

Instructions: You will hear part of a lecture in a linguistics class. After you listen to the lecture, you will answer some questions about it.

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Question:

1.What is the main topic of the lecture?

A) The differences between spoken and written language
B) The process of habit formation in language learning
C) Theories of how humans acquire language
D) The role of parents in reinforcing language habits

2.According to the behaviorist theory, how do children learn language?

A) By imitating others and receiving positive reinforcement
B) By actively constructing grammatical rules in their minds
C) Through a universal grammar shared by all languages
D) By using language creatively without prior exposure

3.What does the nativist theory propose about language acquisition?

A) Language learning is a process of habit formation
B) Children learn language through imitation and repetition
C) Language is acquired through exposure to linguistic input
D) Children are born with an innate ability to learn language

4.What evidence supports the nativist theory of language acquisition?

A) Children can produce sentences they have never heard before
B) Children rely heavily on imitation and reinforcement
C) Language learning is purely environmental
D) Children need repeated exposure to form language habits

5.What does the professor suggest about the relationship between the behaviorist and nativist theories?

A) Only the behaviorist theory is valid
B) Only the nativist theory is valid
C) Both theories may contribute to language acquisition
D) Neither theory is relevant to modern language learning

Transcripts

Listening Script:

Professor: Today, we’re going to discuss two major theories of language acquisition: the behaviorist theory and the nativist theory. Both of these theories attempt to explain how humans acquire language, but they do so from very different perspectives.

Let’s start with the behaviorist theory, which was popularized by B.F. Skinner. According to behaviorists, language learning is essentially a process of habit formation. They argue that children learn language through imitation, reinforcement, and repetition. For example, when a child says a word correctly, they receive positive reinforcement from their parents or caregivers—this could be in the form of praise or even something as simple as a smile. Over time, through repeated exposure and reinforcement, the child begins to form language habits.

On the other hand, the nativist theory, proposed by Noam Chomsky, takes a very different approach. Chomsky argued that children are born with an innate ability to learn language. He introduced the concept of the “universal grammar,” which suggests that all human languages share a common underlying structure. According to this theory, children don’t just passively absorb language through imitation—they actively construct grammatical rules in their minds. This theory is supported by the observation that children can produce sentences they’ve never heard before, indicating that they aren’t simply mimicking what they hear.

It’s important to note that while these theories seem to be in opposition, modern research suggests that both perspectives may play a role in language acquisition. Children may indeed have an innate capacity for language, but their linguistic environment also influences how they learn to use language in practice.

Sample Answer: